this post was submitted on 22 Nov 2023
169 points (91.2% liked)
Memes
45587 readers
2209 users here now
Rules:
- Be civil and nice.
- Try not to excessively repost, as a rule of thumb, wait at least 2 months to do it if you have to.
founded 5 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
In spite of Google's share, the fact that you still need to go download a browser means it isn't over. The barrier for entry is no higher for Firefox vs Chrome, and to the average user, they're not differentiated - you could change the icon and they'd be none the wiser.
Google using their functional monopoly on search and streaming to entrench their functional monopoly on the browser in a way that'll give them meaningful control of the way the Internet operates isn't something we should just roll over on.
I don’t wholly disagree, but I do take issue with the “they’d be none the wiser”
Even the average person knows there are more options than the original default browser. I have no love for windows, but long gone are the days when they didn’t prompt you for “would you like to make this your default browser” when you downloaded something else.
Try changing the average user’s web browser that they’re accustomed to overnight and tell me they don’t pitch a fit
Beyond transferring bookmarks and extensions (neither of which tend to be an issue), and the different icon, what would the average user hang their allegiance off?
The prompts to use Edge are the same whether you're using Chrome or Firefox.